Another Vermont Ghost Named Emily, but No Bridge!

Vermont has another ghost named Emily, though not as well known as the famous “Emily’s Bridge Ghost” in Stowe.

It is said that a ghost named Emily lingers on in the distinctive Marlboro College

A century ago, Emily Mather and her mysterious lover came to an end not unlike the story of Romeo and Juliet. Sometime in the late nineteenth century, back when the college was a working farm, Emily fell in love with a traveling salesman who called upon families within nearby Vermont villages.

Her parents were very strict and forbade the relationship, ordering the young man away from their daughter. Devastated by the turn of events, the despondent salesman threw himself into a stream and drowned.

Upon hearing the news, Emily climbed to the attic of her family’s home and hanged herself.

The home where Emily is said to have died is now known as Mather House, the college’s main administration building. The stream where the heart broken salesman drowned still flows through the college campus.

Suicide at the time was considered shameful and embarrassing for a family to endure.

Emily was buried in an unmarked grave below her parent’s barn, which was later remodeled into Dalrymple Hall, a building containing classrooms. Her body rested peacefully in the grave until the 1950’s when excavation to build the Howland House disinterred her anonymous burial site.

The dining hall and Mather building at Marlboro College – Courtesty of WikiMedia

It is the Howland House where unexplained occurrences have led some to believe that Emily’s disturbed grave caused her spirit to walk among the living.

Students have reported seeing a female figure wandering the campus at night, and many have felt uneasy when alone in Howland or Dalrymple during the evening hours. Cold spots and banging noises (with no apparent cause) are often encountered around the campus.

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Vermonter.com was started back in the mid 1990's as a Vermont resource guide. Since then it has evolved into more of a quirky historical and unusual chronicle of off beat Vermont folklore, myths and legends. It's easy to create a Vermont resource but damn hard to corral all the "good stuff" in one place. But hey, I'm having fun! This website is best enjoyed on a dark, rainy day with a cup of coffee and a loyal dog (or cat) asleep at your feet. So enjoy and have fun. "There be WEIRD stuff here!" Comment below, if you dare!